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Publisher's Summary

Audie Award Nominee, Best Thriller/Suspense Category, 2013

New York Times best-selling author Carol O’Connell has won a wide fan base with her popular novels starring NYPD detective Kathy Mallory. In The Chalk Girl, a little girl is abandoned in Central Park—with her uncle’s body in a tree not far away. Recognizing a kindred spirit in the girl, Mallory takes the case. But her investigation soon leads to a trail of murder and blackmail spanning 15 years.

I started the Mallory series before I started losing my vision and since I have greedily looked over and over for more of Ms. O'Connell's books on audible. I haven't even finished this one yet and find myself going outside during my lunch hour to listen. This book, as in most of her books, lightly touch that "horror" nerve, but just enough to grab your attention and hold on! I can't decide which I like the most, the Pendergast series by the Preston/Child duo or the Mallory series. High praise indeed! The development of the mystery is classic O'Connell, and the addition of the child really off-sets Mallory's pecular personality. I highly recommend this book and anxiously await more books by O'Connell on audible!

The Chalk Girl has little bit of everything, suspense, thriller, and paranormal. The book kept you guessing until the end. I liked the way Mallory connected with the child in this series. Also the narrator brought this book to life.

This Chalk Girl tells the story by weaving in and out of the past and present in a smooth compelling way. So many of the characters have so much to tell you about the events of the story, and the author allows them to do so in a beautiful way. I did not want the story to end it was fascinating

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot included compelling characters with interesting stories that all came together to form a story that made me want to learn more and more.

What does Barbara Rosenblat bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Barbara Rosenblat's voices that she gives the characters makes you feel as though you are there listening to them confide their inner thoughts. It is powerful, she is very good.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Carol O'Connell has crafted yet another wonderful story with Mallory, Charles, Riker, et al, and has spiced the mix with the addition of a small lost child found in Central Park. Despite herself, Mallory becomes involved with the little girl, although she certainly never would admit it. But some feelings are there. Barbara Rosenblat's narration is superb! She gives each character exactly the voice I had heard in my head while reading the earlier books, with great expression of emotions and of New York attitude. Wish I hadn't already read all the earlier Mallory books, so I could listen to Barbara Rosenblat read them.

The book ending up being one that I couldnt stop listening too!!!! Of course Rosenblat was amazing (as usual). I never read anything from from the author so I really didnt know what to expect. The story line got kind of confusing..I found myself a bit lost in some points during the story and had to rewind a little. But the overall story was good. I wonder if some of the twist and turns presented in the story was taken out would it read "smoothier"...hmmm..anyway overall it really was good and I recommend it!

Kathy Mallory is back in 10th book. This is the only one I've heard but my wife has read all. If you're wondering if this is for you, a couple comments: Mallory is a rare female counterpart to the schizoid personality disorder type or gunslinger. She has some admirable strengths -- tough, smart, relentless in pursuit of solving murders -- qualities found in many male characters but blended into a well-dressed tomboy homicide detective.

As a male listener, I'm put off somewhat by 2 things: 1. Barbara Rosenblat has an unpleasant smoker's type voice, can't really do a male or child's voice. (She also reads for Nevada Barr, a distinctly misandristic author). 2. In an early scene, Mallory cruelly destroys the property of a teen- or tween-age boy for no good reason. When I was 12, I worked about 140 hours on a farm to earn the money for a similar toy (a cassette-radio in the early 70's) and deeply treasured this possession. I would have been devastated if someone had done this to me and just can't cheer for a character who is so outright mean.

As the story progresses, Mallory enjoys hurting or intimidating many others, but males certainly take the brunt of this. I'm guessing that the presence of a vulnerable little girl in the narrative is supposed to balance all this out. Thematic tension begins to mount: though the girl adores Mallory, is this really reciprocated? Or does Mallory coldly play the girl like she does everyone else?

If you don't need a warm and fuzzy protagonist and perhaps enjoy the turnabout in gender roles delivered by a gruff older female voice, this isn't a bad listen. (If you're already a fan, my view as a newbie is impertinent anyway. You already knew you were going to listen.)

This was my first in the series. Interesting protagonist in Detective Kathy Mallory. Intricate plot but am I to believe everyone in a family is a psychopath? I hadn't heard of Williams Syndrome before. Excellent narration by Barbara Rosenblatt, as usual.